Alessandro Speciale

Alessandro Speciale has been covering the Vatican since 2007 and wrote for Religion News Service from 2011-2013. Born in Rome, he studied literature at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy, and journalism at City University, London. He has appeared as an expert on Vatican affairs on CNN, BBC World and Al Jazeera English.

36 Comments

R. Calderon

Hmmm, not sure why this is a news story. However Church would just consider him a Catholic for life. He can renounce this faith all he wants, but he is still a Catholic. With that said, he is welcome to join other religious groups who like to burn the Koran and fight violence with bigger guns. Perhaps then his sheer hate for Islam would be quenched.

Guest

I don’t see how your assessment of “sheer hate” is in any way justified. I can disagree vehemently with a person or an organization or a philosophy without hating them. Why do you assume that he hates? Perhaps that is what you would feel in the the same situation? But we must not project our own shortcomings upon others. I mean no condemnation.

MartinM

Leo

He is totally correct. Islam has been trying to conquer Europe since about 710 when Charles Martel defeated it at Tours (Poitiers). With a low birth rate and religious indifference, it is already in charge in parts of Europe. I suggest that you read “While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within,”
Bruce Bauer, hardly a conservative person.
Also, check out the books by Rodney Stark. This pope is, unfortunately, going to wreak havoc, instead of taking care of abusive priests, which is what Catholics really want.

If Christians decide to live by the principles of Jesus, they should find ways to love, serve and honor their Muslim brothers. Find ways to show your love to Muslims in order for them to love you back. Do we need a think tank to study how to show love toward others? Isn’t feeding the hungry and healing the sick a sure way to accomplish this? Follow Jesus and you will find the way.
Reconciliation at the end is a journey that God puts you on and leads you through. It is neither for the fanatic nor for the faint of heart. It is for those that have the deepest faith in Him and the deepest love toward other human beings—those who are too humble to judge others and ready to extend a loving hand toward them.
In today’s world, I hold the view that it is of highest importance that people of goodwill and deep faith engage in reconciliation efforts in order to spare both Muslims and Christians the agony of conflict and alienation. For it is not enough to love God with all our heart, mind and soul, if we don’t love our neighbor like ourselves.

Sister Geraldine M. Wagner

Caritas (love) of neighbor has nothing to do with the renunciation of Islam as a false religion; in fact, true love is showing a person the RIGHT way. Brothers and sisters, study the history of Islam and look at what it teaches, particularly about “infidels.” While Christians have committed many sins in the name of Christianity, the religion itself has NEVER TAUGHT hatred or revenge!

Sister Geraldine M. Wagner

You can find the religion itself in both Old and New Testaments. Both teach love of YHWH above all things and the love of neighbor as “oneself.” There is no mention of forced conversion or murdering non-believers. The commandment is thou shalt not murder, and not, thou shalt not kill. Who teaches it? Jewish rabbis and Christian believers. BELIEVERS, not people masquerading as sheep but are in fact, wolves who would bring down the innocent and ignorant.

benet

Hannah S.

It is a Biblical principle that the Lord uses Assyria/Babylon/Egypt/Islam to discipline His people when they fall into sin and rebellion. See Isaiah 10:5

Whenever the people of GOD repent, God restores them from captivity. It is the sword of the Lord: the Word of God that defeats the evil within the people and those spiritual, material, political and human entities that have taken them captive: Isaiah 31:8-9, II Chronicles 7:14

No one can dispute the condition of the Church (Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Evangelical) in our time, especially in the West. There are people in ministry and laity who have done great harm to Christendom by personal sin and apostasy (sexual sin), evil actions (especially sexual abuse perpetrated against children, abortion) and by their words: deceptive and heretical teaching (compromising with political correctness).

Until the Church repents and returns to GOD, it will remain in captivity and under assault.

Hannah S.

Perhaps the more Magdi Allam learned and saw of the Catholic Church, he became discouraged and dismayed. Besides the sexual abuse and cover up, there are conflicts between the Bible and actual practices by religious, clergy and laity.

Believe it or not, rational people in the Catholic Church as well as converts from Islam have a problem with the Catechism’s #841 gushing validation of Islam. Islam opposes Christianity and Judaism. It was conceived and invented by Mohammed to aggressively supplant and subsume Judaism and Christianity at the point of the sword. Islam in its inception and core texts and in its current practices is a racist hate group that allows slavery, pedophilia, brutal misogyny and other violations of human rights.

Sister Geraldine M. Wagner

Guiseppe

Thank you. MY fear is that the one world government will be estabilished by the merging of Islam and catholicism under the banner of Muhammad. There is soem conspiracy goign on that’s why Benedic the XVI simply kept quiet after ruffling so9em feathers in 2006 with hsi “Reason” comment regardign Islam.

I used to oppose Protestant friends of mine ( co-religionists of mine, ofcourse) when they float theories liek the Anti-Christ will coem out of the Catholic Church and I’m still oen of the ardent supporters of Christians no matter what their denomination is. However, lately after thesilence of the Catholic church despite a concerted effort by Muslism everywhere ( not just “extremists”) to wipe out minority Christians among them ( Pakistan, Northern Nigeria, Egypt, Indonesia, even Palestine, etc…) I am leanign towards acceptign the theory that come end times, I may find myself on the opposite end of the Church of Peter. Sad but I’ll die opposing Islam till my last breath because I’ve seen it’s fruit anaint from God!

Sister Geraldine M. Wagner

Many people in modern times (I.e., WWII, and beyond, see the churchs’ silence as approbation when it isn’t. For example, Hitler threatened the churches if they spoke out against him and his Nazi organization of thugs and he would target the most vulnerable. So do other oppressors. This doesn’t mean the churches don’t protest; however, but they must do so carefully, not necessarily for the sake of their own lives, but especially for others’s lives.
It’s easy for those of us who live in countries where we can speak our minds, either verbally or in print and not be afraid of reprisals, including torture and/or death. That’s a right too few have in other countries, so don’t take it for granted! Look how certain Islamists riot when they think Mohammed has been insulted! Is he a god? He’s just supposed to be a prophet! Neither in Judaism nor in Christianity does one see these extremes of behavior for their holiest figures.

Celinedesilva

Hannah S. You are so right.
All the foot washing is not going to make a difference. It is only leading Catholics astray. I have many friends who turned muslim because the pope said we worship the same god.

Just a reminder:

By Erick Stakelbeck

CBN News Terrorism Analyst

Monday, April 05, 2010

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WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has released a review of its strategy in the war on terrorism. The report failed to even mention the word “Islam.”

CBN News traveled to London to talk with Anjem Choudary, a leading Muslim radical who says Islamic teachings are what shaped his pro-jihad message.

Although both George W. Bush and Barack Obama have declared that Islam is a religion of peace, Choudary begs to differ.

A Religion of Peace?

“You can’t say that Islam is a religion of peace,” Choudary told CBN News. “Because Islam does not mean peace. Islam means submission. So the Muslim is one who submits. There is a place for violence in Islam. There is a place for jihad in Islam.”

Choudary is the leader of Islam4UK, a group recently banned in Britain under the country’s counter-terrorism laws. He wants Islamic Sharia law to rule the United Kingdom and is working to make that dream a reality.

While Islamic radicals in the United States usually prefer to speak in more moderate tones while in public, masking their true agenda, Choudary has no such inhibitions.

He has praised the 9/11 hijackers and has called for the execution of Pope Benedict. He also stirred controversy recently when video emerged of him converting a 10-year-old British boy to Islam.

Openly Praising Jihad

Choudary told CBN News his group is a “non-violent political and ideological movement” that resides in the UK under “a covenant of security.”

Yet he openly praises violent jihad.

“The Koran is full of, you know, jihad is the most talked about duty in the Koran other than tawhid — belief,” he said. “Nothing else is mentioned more than the topic of fighting.”

Several former members of Choudary’s group have been arrested on terrorism charges.

“A very significant amount of former al-Muhajiroun people were involved in terrorist plots against this country,” London-based terrorism expert Peter Neumann said. “A number of people have actually gone to Afghanistan, joined the Taliban and died fighting for the Taliban.”

Choudary refuses to condemn acts of terror including 9/11 and the July 7, 2005 London bombings, which killed 52 people.

Islam More than Religion

CBN News asked Choudary for his thoughts on the 7/7 bombings on London’s transport system, and whether he condemned them.

“For the people who carried it out, it was legitimate,” he replied. “If you look at the will of the 7/7 bombers Mohammed Siddique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer, they would be justified. And there are many verses from the Koran and many statements to say that’s the Islamic argument. And that is a difficult Islamic argument to refute. And there are many scholars who support that argument as well.”

Choudary says his group is merely following core Islamic teachings and that Islam is much more than a religion.

“This particular belief is more than just a religion,” he declared. “It is not just a spiritual belief. It is, in fact, an ideology which you believe in and you struggle for and you are willing even to die for, because you believe in that: That is your whole life.”

Choudary seems to relish being called Great Britain’s “most hated man” and pledges to continue his rallies calling for the overthrow of the British system.

jon

Europeans are always miles ahead of the muslims. They know muslims better than anyone else and have colonized them for hundreds of years. Europe is the master of diplomacy.

What is going on is that the World is moving to a new order. Oil is running out fast and industrialized countries will soon face a crisis. Europe, like the US has coal but not oil. Oil is portable, compact source of energy. You can drive 200 miles with it. Without it cost of production will rise to a point that th goods and services will be too expensive to export. Competitive advantage will be gone.

Europe is keeping these Muslim savages in slums for now. They do not want to ruffle anything. They want to be friends with Muslims. Muslims cannot complain about europe as they are now a part of it (in theory) and think they are winning by “will of god”. These illiterate idiots in slums will face what they have for 1400 years – execution and persecution once middle east wells start running dry. Give it about 20 more years and then wait and see. Europeans have a long history of “extermination” once their interests are satisfied. Right now the time is not right for them.

At the moment no one intermarries these Muslims. They are powerless dogs living in slums of Europe. No education, no money. They are sitting ducks on borrowed time. If you have doubts, read history of Islam in Spain. They tolerated them for a long time. Why? Because they sucked trade, money etc from middle east. This happened until 1492 when Muslims had nothing to offer. Then it was carnage!

tinux@tormail.org

The only savage is you my friend who killed and raped millions in Africa and Americas you enslaved black people against their will and installed terror with Satan’s help and you believe you are superior??? in what evil?? satan is your master, your history is full of blood and because of your love of blood you believe that achieving your goals supersede the will of people. you are a fool

Sister Geraldine M. Wagner

Please forgive this tardy reply. I just came back on the website replying to someone else. Just because people call themselves Christians, does not mean it’s the truth! The people who committed the violence you speak of were NOT Christians, but people under the influence of the world, the flesh and the devil, which YHWH absolutely forbids, as does the official Church.

Justin

European Catholics built western civilization and condemned slavery of ALL people. Whites were slaves to whites first and the first African slaves were owned by Africans you idiot. Jesus had his Church built in Europe and WE taught the world how to be CIVIL. Wake up. The Truth is hidden in plan sight. Protestantism and protestant nations from Europe are what gave our people bad name and Protestantism is of the devil.

Sister Geraldine M. Wagner

Forgive this tardy reply. Are you a Christian? People are not “savages”, Sir! Each and every person is the image of YHWH: ALL people, and we are to pray for their good, always.
Oil is not a necessity if people are being hurt. With all the technology we have, alternate sources of fuel can be discovered and harnessed for man’s use without injuring our neighbors and the earth.

Justin

tinux@tormail.org

What a fool. He has no knowledge what so ever of Islam. Going Public in order to score points . Prophet Moses (AS) told the Jews_if you and the whole of man kind disbelieved in God. His dominions would not suffer a bit._ If the whole human race today decided to turn against Islam(which is peace ) then nothing shall change God’s master plan for he created good and evil and the choice is with us to chose where to fit.Islam is to submit to the will of God not the will of man. the will of God is to worship him as if you see him and if you can not see him verily that he sees you. Islam is to speak out against evil and promote love and peace regardless of the evil that surrendering us. Islam is the right path with or without the will of people.

Layla

Sister Geraldine M. Wagner

“Evil shall slay the wicked; and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.” (Psalm 34:21( RSV)
Christians confronted Muslims long ago with disastrous results. Christians are not to seek revenge, but to pray for our enemies. Muslims who prefer hate and violence should be confronted with their sin, but revenge is FORBIDDEN. What is the modern Church to do? Just what she is doing: exhorting the sinner. Muslims are angry because they know that Islam is a false religion and that Judaism and Christianity are true. Pray for them.

thameem

Think ppl don’t know any basic thing about Islam. Read Qur’an and then you will get automatically convert to Islam for sure like many did , not because of hatred but because of almighty god message to belive in single creator.its a book of warning for all human beings not just Muslims. Final part of books from god. No mistakes. Its complete book on law,property rights,belief. Almost all the things needed. Islam prohibits alcahol,pork,adultry and even cutting of tree, peeing in water, Its so beaitiful and you guys are missing it. Just read. You are being misguided by church and Zionist media.

syed

hi, i’m a muslim.. if you seek a religion.. all religion will teach you to be a good person.. its just moral value..but does to be good will bring you to heaven and lead you to the right path.. if by only do good deed can bring me to heaven.. i can also go to heaven without being a Christian. beside being a good person believe in one god is what its all about. god giving all of us life,sustenance,everything that we achieve is by god willing. and yet you people believe in trinity..does god need a son?? why does he feel lonely like we do. dont put god as same level as us human. is his son gonna be god after he retired..stop insulting god.. jesus never say that he is god but still you people praise him as a son of god..

syed

Sister Geraldine M. Wagner.. please.. if you have no idea about islam.. go search for muslim and ask them..you must know that lots of Christian that is mush higher level than you revert to islam such as yusuff estess..dont just assume but learn about islam from those who really know..Christianity and judaism have been corrupted by their scholar.. and there are mane version of bible and many time being revise by the higher eminence